heshruggedimpatiently.「that’sjustacatch-all.youcouldhavebeenbookedintransittopittsburgh,oranyoneofadozencharges.whattheyprobablymeanisaccessoryafterthefact.youtooklennoxsomewhere,didn’tyou?」

ididn’tanswer.idroppedthetastelesscigaretteonthefloorandsteppedonit.endicottshruggedagainandfrowned.

「assumeyoudidthen,justforthesakeofargument.tomakeyouanaccessorytheyhavetoproveintent.inthiscasethatwouldmeanknowledgethatacrimehadbeencommittedandthatlennoxwasafugitive.it’sbailableinanycase.ofcoursewhatyoureallyareisamaterialwitness.butamancan’tbeheldinprisonasamaterialwitnessinthisstateexceptbycourtorder.he’snotamaterialwitnessunlessajudgesodeclares.butthelawenforcementpeoplecanalwaysfindawaytodowhattheywanttodo.」

「yeah,」isaid.「adetectivenameddaytonsluggedme.ahomicidecaptainnamedgregoriusthrewacupofcoffeeatme,hitmeintheneckhardenoughtobustanartery—youcanseeit’sstillswollen,andwhenacallfrompolicecommissionerallbrightkepthimfromturningmeovertothewreckingcrew,hespatinmyface.you’requiteright,mr.endicott.thelawboyscanalwaysdowhattheywanttodo.」

helookedathiswristwatchratherpointedly.「youwantoutonbailordon’tyou?」

「thanks.idon’tthinkido.aguyoutonbailisalreadyhalfguiltyinthepublicmind.ifhegetsofflateron,hehadasmartlawyer.」

「that’ssilly,」hesaidimpatiently.

「okay,it’ssilly.i’msilly.otherwiseiwouldn’tbehere.ifyou’reintouchwithlennox,tellhimtoquitbotheringaboutme.i’mnotinhereforhim.i’minhereforme.nocomplaints.it’spartofthedeal.i’minabusinesswherepeoplecometomewithtroubles.bigtroubles,littletroubles,butalwaystroublestheydon’twanttotaketothecops.howlongwouldtheycomeifanybruiserwithapoliceshieldcouldholdmeupsidedownanddrainmyguts?」

「iseeyourpoint,」hesaidslowly.「butletmecorrectyouononething.iamnotintouchwithlennox.iscarcelyknowhim.i’manofficerofthecourt,asalllawyersare.ifiknewwherelennoxwas,icouldn’tconcealtheinformationfromthedistrictattorney.themosticoulddowouldbetoagreetosurrenderhimataspecifiedtimeandplaceafterihadhadaninterviewwithhim.」

「nobodyelsewouldbothertosendyouheretohelpme.」

「areyoucallingmealiar?」hereacheddowntorubouthiscigarettestubontheundersideofthetable.

「iseemtorememberthatyou’reavirginian,mr.endicott.inthiscountrywehaveasortofhistoricalfixationaboutvirginians.wethinkofthemastheflowerofsouthernchivalryandhonor.」

hesmiled.「thatwasnicelysaid.ionlywishitwastrue.butwe’rewastingtime.ifyouhadhadagrainofsenseyou’dhavetoldthepoliceyouhadn’tseenlennoxforaweek.itdidn’thavetobetrue.underoathyoucouldalwayshavetoldtherealstory.there’snolawagainstlyingtothecops.theyexpectit.theyfeelmuchhappierwhenyoulietothemthanwhenyourefusetotalktothem.that’sadirectchallengetotheirauthority.whatdoyouexpecttogainbyit?」

ididn’tanswer.ididn’treallyhaveananswer.hestoodupandreachedforhishatandsnappedhiscigarettecaseshutandputitinhispocket.

「youhadtoplaythebigscene,」hesaidcoldly.「standonyourrights,talkaboutthelaw.howingenuouscanamanget,marlowe?amanlikeyouwhoissupposedtoknowhiswayaround.thelawisn’tjustice.it’saveryimperfectmechanism.ifyoupressexactlytherightbuttonsandarealsolucky,justicemayshowupintheanswer.amechanismisallthelawwaseverintendedtobe.iguessyou’renotinanymoodtobehelped.soi’lltakemyselfoff.youcanreachmeifyouchangeyourmind.」

「i’llstickitoutforadayortwolonger.iftheycatchterrytheywon’tcarehowhegotaway.allthey’llcareaboutisthecircustheycanmakeofthetrial.themurderofmr.harlanpotter’sdaughterisheadlinematerialalloverthecountry.acrowd-pleaserlikespringercouldridehimselfrightintoattorneygeneralonthatshow,andfromthereintothegovernor’schairandfromthere—」istoppedtalkingandlettherestofitfloatintheair.

endicottsmiledaslowderisivesmile.「idon’tthinkyouknowverymuchaboutmr.harlanpotter,」hesaid.

「andiftheydon’tgetlennox,theywon’twanttoknowhowhegotaway,mr.endicott.they’lljustwanttoforgetthewholethingfast.」

「gotitallfiguredout,haven’tyou,marlowe?」

「i’vehadthetime.alliknowaboutmr.harlanpotteristhatheissupposedtobeworthahundredmillionbucks,andthatheownsnineortennewspapers.how’sthepublicitygoing?」

「thepublicity?」hisvoicewasicecoldsayingit.

「yeah.nobody’sinterviewedmefromthepress.iexpectedtomakeabignoiseinthepapersoutofthis.getlotsofbusiness.privateeyegoestojailratherthansplitonapal.」

hewalkedtothedoorandturnedwithhishandontheknob.「youamuseme,marlowe.you’rechildishinsomeways.true,ahundredmilliondollarscanbuyagreatdealofpublicity.itcanalso,myfriend,ifshrewdlyemployed,buyagreatdealofsilence.」

heopenedthedoorandwentout.thenadeputycameinandtookmebacktocellno.3inthefelonyblock.

「guessyouwon’tbewithuslong,ifyou’vegotendicott,」hesaidpleasantlyashelockedmein.isaidihopedhewasright.